Wizards Are Beginning to Resemble the Spurs

[closg00]

This team, it's philosphy and structure are slowly beginning to resemble the San Antonio Spurs which is promising looking forward to multiple championships.

Coach Randy Wittman gets what it takes to win in this league. He is becoming a clone as the Popovich of the East where he realizes defense, smart play and hustle wins games. His system is working and he can plug and play just about anyone into his system and they will produce. Guys like Rasual Butler who averaged less than 3ppg last year in Indiana and Drew Gooden who was sitting at home are important contributors. When importanat starter pieces such as Hilario Nene go down with injury, Kris Humprhies fills in, contributes and the team still wins. The Spurs approach of next man up is encouraging to watch with this team. Popovich plays who's hot and so does Wittman. No hesitation in swapping out Garret Temple who was hot before, but fell into a slump and is now stuck at the end of the bench.

Grunfeld has become Spurs GM R.C. Buford in the facet of building a balanced team mixed with young stars, veterans and free agents all at cap friendly deals. This teams success is not dependent on 1 superstar. Wall is able to facilitate and any guy on the Wizards can put up numbers any given night, like the Spurs. Productive bench comprised of veterans, shooting specialists and hustle guys, like the Spurs. The environment, system and philosphy is conducive to winning and success and guys who most likely would not be as productive elsewhwere are surpisingly productive in Washington. Same as Boris Diaw in San Antonio.

The players display high basketball IQ, are efficient and work together as a team. Everyone trusts each other. No matter what lineup is in the game at any given time, the players show that they are comfortable with that group on the floor as they all recognize where they and their teammates are supposed to be. Locker room morale is at a high, there are no trouble makers and everything is kept in house. This team is all about business, like the Spurs.

The R.C. Buford/Pop combo worked for years and the new tandem of Grunfeld/Wittman can work as well if Ted keeps continuity. The end result? Multiple championships

This didn't age very well.

I split my gut reading this

[FAH1223]

Through 25 games, the Spurs and Wizards have the same record in 2018-2019. 11-14.

San Antonio is without their best defensive player in Dejounte Murray. They don't have Lonnie Walker playing yet. Pau Gasol is hurt but gave them floor spacing and rebounding even at his advanced age.

Wizards started 2-9 and then went 9-5.

Spurs were 7-4 and now have gone 4-10.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Through 25 games, the Spurs and Wizards have the same record in 2018-2019. 11-14.

San Antonio is without their best defensive player in Dejounte Murray. They don't have Lonnie Walker playing yet. Pau Gasol is hurt but gave them floor spacing and rebounding even at his advanced age.

Wizards started 2-9 and then went 9-5.

Spurs were 7-4 and now have gone 4-10.

...so you're saying the Spurs are beginning to resemble the Wizards?

[FAH1223]

Through 25 games, the Spurs and Wizards have the same record in 2018-2019. 11-14.

San Antonio is without their best defensive player in Dejounte Murray. They don't have Lonnie Walker playing yet. Pau Gasol is hurt but gave them floor spacing and rebounding even at his advanced age.

Wizards started 2-9 and then went 9-5.

Spurs were 7-4 and now have gone 4-10.

...so you're saying the Spurs are beginning to resemble the Wizards?

It seems that way

The Spurs also don't take a lot of 3s but are shooting a good percentage. Sounds familiar i.e. the 2016-2018 Wizards

[Endless Loop]

Today's a great day to lament our misfortune to have to deal with two of the worst-managed sports franchises in pro sports: the Redskins and Wizards. It's been a tough day. If Wall's heel spur will put 2018-19 in question for him, then the chance to deal him this year just went up in smoke, and it will likely be harder to deal him next year after his new deal kicks in. This could be a real issue.

And maybe the Skins didn't deserve what happened today since injuries were a big part of it, but really they do deserve the nasty ink that's coming next week and more, because of nearly 30 years of Snyderly mismanagement.

On the surface of it, the two teams have nothing in common. Snyder is impulsive and listens only to yes-men, while Leonsis seems to make no decisions and has kept Sleazy Ernie around for... forever.

But these two franchises have one thing very much in common, it's a total inattention by the owners to detail. Ted, WHAT DOES ERNIE DO EVERY DAY???? How hard is his job, really? How difficult was it to know that Durant wasn't coming? How hard was it to come up with an intelligent Plan B when Durant didn't come? How hard has it ever been to know that the Wizards have ALWAYS had locker room problems that a good culture can mitigate? How hard is it to scout current NBA players before you give them long contracts with player options? How hard was it to figure out if Wall was really a super max player? Teams win and lose partly because of the big draft decisions, but the Wizards have lost also because of what seems to be an incredibly lazy, who-cares management culture. Ted, why don't you spend a day with Ernie and see what the guy really does? Why don't you get somebody to do a best-practices study of how other organizations do business? This is 100% on you. Ernie does what you let him do.

As for Dan, he just doesn't have the temperament to be a sports manager. He should instead focus on being a good owner and field a great team by hiring great management. Then he can fly his MVP to Disneyworld in his own private jet. With the Jason Smith cap issues, the outlook for the Skins is currently so awful that maybe, just maybe, he'll do something right and fire himself.

[truwizfan4evr]

Well, Spurs have a way better gm and coach then we do.

[payitforward]

...Ted, WHAT DOES ERNIE DO EVERY DAY???? How hard is his job, really? How difficult was it to know that Durant wasn't coming? How hard was it to come up with an intelligent Plan B when Durant didn't come? How hard has it ever been to know that the Wizards have ALWAYS had locker room problems that a good culture can mitigate? How hard is it to scout current NBA players before you give them long contracts with player options? How hard was it to figure out if Wall was really a super max player? Teams win and lose partly because of the big draft decisions, but the Wizards have lost also because of what seems to be an incredibly lazy, who-cares management culture. Ted, why don't you spend a day with Ernie and see what the guy really does? Why don't you get somebody to do a best-practices study of how other organizations do business? This is 100% on you. Ernie does what you let him do....

Go loop, go!!!

I've asked myself that question 1000 times, btw -- what in hell does Ernie Grunfeld do all day to fill the hours? I can't picture it; I can't picture anything that might occupy his time. I don't even mean occupy it productively. I mean at all! You can't tell me he sits with a pencil & paper & makes list like:

"1. Sign Jason Smith, let walk by a team worse than ours, to 3-years -- guaranteed -- at more than 3 times veteran minimum salary.
2. Ian Mahinmi... hmmm, he's got to be 3 times better than Smith, right?
3. Lemme see, who might want our R2 pick this year....
4. Remember to ask the right terminology... is it Super Duper Max? Or just Super Max?

Wow, that took me all morning. I'd better go clean the latrines...."

[Ruzious]

...Ted, WHAT DOES ERNIE DO EVERY DAY???? How hard is his job, really? How difficult was it to know that Durant wasn't coming? How hard was it to come up with an intelligent Plan B when Durant didn't come? How hard has it ever been to know that the Wizards have ALWAYS had locker room problems that a good culture can mitigate? How hard is it to scout current NBA players before you give them long contracts with player options? How hard was it to figure out if Wall was really a super max player? Teams win and lose partly because of the big draft decisions, but the Wizards have lost also because of what seems to be an incredibly lazy, who-cares management culture. Ted, why don't you spend a day with Ernie and see what the guy really does? Why don't you get somebody to do a best-practices study of how other organizations do business? This is 100% on you. Ernie does what you let him do....

Go loop, go!!!

I've asked myself that question 1000 times, btw -- what in hell does Ernie Grunfeld do all day to fill the hours? I can't picture it; I can't picture anything that might occupy his time. I don't even mean occupy it productively. I mean at all! You can't tell me he sits with a pencil & paper & makes list like:

"1. Sign Jason Smith, let walk by a team worse than ours, to 3-years -- guaranteed -- at more than 3 times veteran minimum salary.
2. Ian Mahinmi... hmmm, he's got to be 3 times better than Smith, right?
3. Lemme see, who might want our R2 pick this year....
4. Remember to ask the right terminology... is it Super Duper Max? Or just Super Max?

Wow, that took me all morning. I'd better go clean the latrines...."

Well, Millie and Hands posts don't write themselves!

Btw, I think it's Big Max for Ernie.

[queridiculo]

I've asked myself that question 1000 times, btw -- what in hell does Ernie Grunfeld do all day to fill the hours? I can't picture it; I can't picture anything that might occupy his time. I don't even mean occupy it productively. I mean at all! You can't tell me he sits with a pencil & paper & makes list like:

"1. Sign Jason Smith, let walk by a team worse than ours, to 3-years -- guaranteed -- at more than 3 times veteran minimum salary.
2. Ian Mahinmi... hmmm, he's got to be 3 times better than Smith, right?
3. Lemme see, who might want our R2 pick this year....
4. Remember to ask the right terminology... is it Super Duper Max? Or just Super Max?

Wow, that took me all morning. I'd better go clean the latrines...."

Eh, I think it's a whole easier than that, Ted's backside probably takes quite some time to kiss and by the time he's done the day is almost over.